Shipping Deputy Minister visits Limassol Municipality

Shipping Deputy Minister, Vassilis Demetriades, met today with Limassol Mayor and members of the Municipal Council to discuss issues pertaining to his competence.

The Mayor, Nicos Nicolaides, stated that the Municipality of Limassol welcomes and supports the ferry connection between Cyprus and Greece, while he considers non-negotiable that this ferry will be sailing to Greece from Limassol, indicating that the city has the appropriate port infrastructure and highlighting the various actions undertaken to turn the city into a hotspot for cruise ships.

The Mayor also referred to the action plan that has been prepared and the upgrade of the equipment used to monitor and maintain the cleanliness of the sea and asked the competent ministry for complementary maritime surveillance, mainly when it comes to the biological sewage treatment systems of the vessels anchored in the city port.  

Mr Nicolaides then informed the Deputy Minister about the Limassol Integrated Development strategic plan and at the same time pointed out that a key component for this development is the shipping sector, which constitutes a very important business sector for the city.

He also informed the Deputy Minister that within the framework of the Blue Limassol Forum, a study will be carried out to identify and assess the overall risks arising from the activities and projects in the coastal and marine area of Limassol.

Finally, the Mayor of Limassol announced that we have located the premises for the creation of a Maritime Museum and requested the assistance of the Ministry of Shipping.

For his part, Shipping Deputy Minister, Vassilis Demetriades, characteristically stated that “we share the same vision with the Municipality of Limassol and aim at sustainable maritime development and the Cypriot shipping”. He announced that the ferry connection between Cyprus and Greece will be possible as of May 2021 and that the call for tenders is expected to be announced in the autumn. The Deputy Minister welcomed Blue Limassol Forum, stressing the importance of this initiative placing Limassol in the cities that care and have a vision for sustainable maritime development and proposed to the Municipality to claim the organisation of the European Shipping Day that takes place every year in a different city of Europe.